I flipped back around. Cassandra was stroking her narrow, bloody chin. Next to her, Lori and Aidan stood side by side, both relaxed and smiling as easily asAlex.
“I volunteer,” I shouted suddenly. “I’ll be hisSecond!”
“What?” Lucas roared, at the same time as August yelled, “Out of thequestion!”
Before anyone could stop me, I flew down the stairs and raced towardLiam.
His dark eyes were wide withshock.
“But since I’m the Second, I get a say in when the duelhappens.”
“Ness—” Liamstarted.
“Right?” I all but screeched, my throat onfire.
“No. Only the challenged party gets a say in when and where it happens,” Lori said. “Andwe’d—”
“Release my son, and you’ll get to decide when and where the duel takesplace.”
“Like hell we’re setting him loose,” Liamsaid.
“My son won’t harm anyone. I’ll give you myword.”
“Your word meansshit.”
“Then let’s fight now.” She was limping and bleeding, and yet she was willing to go back into thering?
“Liam.” I jutted my head toward the indoorpool.
Jaw set tight, he headed for the inn, slid open the glass door, and after we’d both stepped inside, he shut it so hard the glass rattled in its frame. Before I could talk, he exclaimed, “Are you trying to screw meover?”
“Screw you over? No, Liam. I wouldn’t have signed up for this if I were trying toscrew youover.”
His pupils pulsed andpulsed.
I glanced through the glass at Cassandra, who was rubbing her body down with a wet towel to get rid of the blood and gore, and then around the pool room to check for surveillanceequipment.
I didn’t see any cameras, but it didn’t mean the place wasn’t bugged, so I dropped my voice to a hissing whisper. “She did something to Julian, and I plan on figuring out what that is, so it isn’t your heart she eatsnext.”
“Why do you care what happens to myheart?”
I dragged my hand through my hair, my fingers snagging on some strands. “Beats me. I justdo.”
“You choseAugust.”
I squashed my lips together. This was so not the moment to have this discussion. Then again, there would never be a good time to have thisdiscussion.
“You spent the night with him.” It wasn’t aquestion.
“It’s none of yourbusiness.”
“You’re my wolves. It ismy—”
“No, Liam. What happens between August and me only concernshimandme.”
A nerve ticked in his clenched jaw. For a long moment, he simply stared atme.
“Look, I know you don’t want to release Alex, but it’ll buy us time. Weneedtime.” When that didn’t extinguish the bloodlust lighting up his irises, I tossed my hands in the air. “You know what, if you don’t give a shit about dying, then by all means, be your usual hotheaded self and go fight her now, but you’ll be doing it alone, because I won’t stand by to see you getgutted!”
